Stereo photography was very popular in the world from the very beginning of photography. The stereoscope was invented in 1838. The earliest stereos were, mostly, made by commercial photographers, sold to the public and viewed with a hand held stereoscope. These devices are still available in kit form and on the used market, but it is not the best format today. Personal stereo still photography was quite popular in the 1950's, 1960's and some in the 1970's. Most cameras were 35 mm with two matched lenses, separated by a distance approximately equal to human eyes. Its popularity faded after the 1970's even though there are thousands of users yet today, some belonging to hundreds of stereo camera clubs throughout the world.
Stereo photography is extremely enjoyable as it adds a breathtaking depth dimension and makes you feel like you are there, where the photo was taken. It makes a photo become alive. Good stereo brings out a rash of comments by viewers—Exciting! Stupendous! Colossal! Wow! This is super! Really good! Cool! Ooh! I feel like I can reach out and touch it! This is great! Outstanding! Magnificent!
In light of the popularity of stereoscopic imaging and viewing, the present invention will reintroduce this phenomenal technique to the world—in a significantly better and more enhanceable format, and with vastly improved viewing methods. It will also provide the extremely important feature of immediate stereo viewing before and after exposure to instantly confirm that a satisfactory image was taken.